Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain and Santa Teresa with local guides, and the beaches of Búzios
Few cities are set like Rio de Janeiro: granite peaks covered in rainforest, a bay dotted with islands and the long beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Its landscape between the mountains and the sea is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the statue of Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
We include Rio in our journeys through Brazil and Argentina, usually at the start or the end of the trip and paired with Iguazú Falls. You stay three nights, with transfers and local guides: a half day in the artists’ quarter of Santa Teresa and a full day at Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain, with the entrances arranged. Two of our journeys add two nights on the beaches of Búzios.
| Day | What you do | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival | Transfer from the airport to your hotel | A free evening: dinner by the beach or a samba show |
| Santa Teresa | A half-day tour of Rio’s hilltop artists’ quarter | Cosme Velho, the 19th-century Castelinho, the views from the Parque das Ruínas, the Chácara do Céu Museum with works by Portinari, Matisse and Modigliani, and the cafés of Largo do Guimarães |
| Corcovado and Sugarloaf | A full day with a Brazilian barbecue lunch | Christ the Redeemer, the drive past Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon and through the Tijuca Forest, the Dona Marta viewpoint, the two-stage cable car to Sugarloaf Mountain, the Sambadrome, the Metropolitan Cathedral and Cinelândia Square with the Municipal Theatre |
| Onward | Private transfer to the airport, or by road to Búzios | Continue to Iguazú Falls or fly home |
| Time | Plan | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Three nights | Arrival, Santa Teresa, and a full day at Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf. This is the plan of our journeys. | Seeing the essentials at the start or end of a longer trip |
| Four or five nights | Add a beach day in Ipanema, the Botanical Garden and Parque Lage, the Museum of Tomorrow, or an evening of samba in Lapa | A slower pace and more time on the beach |
| Rio and Búzios | Three nights in Rio and two nights on the beaches of Búzios, as in our Brazil and Argentina journeys | Honeymoons and travellers who want to end with the sea |
Plan Christ the Redeemer for the clearest morning of your stay: clouds can cover the summit, so we keep the day flexible. Sugarloaf is at its best in the late afternoon, when the sun sets behind the city.
Rio is warm all year. Summer, from December to March, is hot and humid, with short tropical showers and the busiest beaches; winter, from June to August, is dry and mild. For sightseeing, April to June and September to October are the most pleasant:
| Month | High / low | Rain | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31.5 / 24.1 °C | 137 mm | Hot and humid, with summer showers; peak beach season |
| February | 32.2 / 24.4 °C | 130 mm | The hottest month; Carnival in most years |
| March | 31.2 / 24.0 °C | 136 mm | Still hot; the sea is at its warmest |
| April | 30.0 / 23.0 °C | 95 mm | Excellent: warm, fewer showers and fewer visitors |
| May | 27.8 / 20.7 °C | 70 mm | Excellent: sunny, mild and quiet |
| June | 26.7 / 19.3 °C | 43 mm | Very good: dry and pleasant for sightseeing |
| July | 26.4 / 18.7 °C | 42 mm | The driest month; school holidays in Brazil |
| August | 27.0 / 19.1 °C | 45 mm | Very good: dry and clear; cooler sea |
| September | 26.7 / 19.6 °C | 54 mm | Very good: spring, warm days |
| October | 28.2 / 21.1 °C | 87 mm | Excellent: warm before the summer crowds |
| November | 29.4 / 22.3 °C | 98 mm | Warm, with more showers |
| December | 30.3 / 23.2 °C | 134 mm | Hot; busy for New Year’s Eve on Copacabana |
Climate normals for the Saúde station in central Rio, from INMET, Brazil’s national weather institute. Carnival 2027: the Special Group samba schools parade at the Sambadrome from 7 to 9 February, and Ash Wednesday falls on 10 February. Hotels fill up months ahead for Carnival and New Year’s Eve, so book early. Read our guide to the Brazil Carnival and the best time to visit South America.
Most of our travellers stay in Copacabana, close to the beach and to Sugarloaf Mountain. Ipanema and Leblon, a little further west, have the most fashionable restaurants and boutiques. These are the hotels of our journeys:
| Hotel | Where | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Belmond Copacabana Palace | On Copacabana beach | Rio’s legendary hotel, opened in 1923, with sea-view suites and a famous pool |
| Miramar by Windsor | On the Copacabana seafront | A modern hotel with rooms facing the beach |
| Windsor Leme | Leme, the quiet end of Copacabana beach | A comfortable base close to Sugarloaf Mountain |
| Windsor Martinique | Copacabana, a short walk from the beach | A practical, well-located hotel |
Búzios is a peninsula of more than twenty beaches, about three hours by road from Rio along the Costa do Sol. Once a fishing village, it is now one of Brazil’s most stylish seaside towns, with small boutique hotels, the shops and restaurants of Rua das Pedras and calm bays for swimming. It is the perfect place to rest before flying on to Iguazú. See the best beaches in Brazil.
Rio is the start or the end of most of our journeys through Brazil. Our Brazil & Argentina Experience (14 days) begins in Rio and Búzios and continues to Iguazú Falls and Patagonia, and longer journeys such as the Peru, Bolivia, Argentina & Brazil Grand Escape (24 days) end in Rio after Machu Picchu, Uyuni and Iguazú. Read our guide to the top things to do in Rio de Janeiro and our South America itineraries.
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Every Rio de Janeiro itinerary can be adapted to your dates and pace. Plan a tailor-made trip →
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